Liam carroll



(No Model.)

F. M. BENNETT.

ELBGTRIGSWITOH. No. 412,159. Patented Oct. 1, 1889.

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UNITED YSTATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

FRED M. BENNETT, OF NEV YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VlL' LIAMCARROLL, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 412,159, dated Octoberl, 1889.

Application filed April 8, 1889. Serial No. 306,455. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED M. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switches, the particular obj ectbeingto provide a quickacting switch which shall be of cheap construction andeiicient operation.

The invention consists in the details of construction, which will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel represents a front elevation of the switch shown in its casing, andFig. 2 represents a section through the switch and its operating-lever.Fig. 3 represents a section of Fig. l on the line The switch is of thedouble-pole variety, and is of such construction that the terminals ofthe two circuits which it controls may be changed from one pair ofbinding-posts to another, as convenience dictates, without altering theaction of the switch.

A A represent the binding-posts of one circuit. Then B B will representthe bindingposts of the other circuit. Each of these bind: ing-posts isconnected with one pair of the quadrant-plates O O and D D. Each pair ofthese plates are of the same construction, and the description of onepair will be suicient for all. They are all mounted upon a sheet ofasbestus or other insulating material placed against the face of theswitch-base, and consist of two metallic plates of the general shape ofa quadrant of a circle, placed one above the other, but pressed togetherby spring-plate c', bearing upon the upper plate c. c is held inposition by a binding-post, as shown. The under plate c is secured tothe base of the switch by screws, rivets, or in any other suitablemanner. The edges of each plate are drawn up slightly to admit thewedge-shaped or knife-blade circuit-closer E. These edges are also slitlaterally, so as to insure contact of the greatest amount of surface.The inner portion of the plates or the point of the quadrant is cut awayon a circle to form a circular space in the middle, wherein theoperating-lever F may be pivoted. This lever is connected with disk f,of insulating material, through the interposed block f the latterserving simply to raise the lever from the face of the switch in orderthat it may move freely across it. This disk also has attached to itupon opposite sides two circuit-closing plates E E. These plates aresomewhat larger than the plates c c-that is, they are larger than aquadrant, but smaller than a semicircle. The edges e c of these platesare sharpened or wedge-shaped to enable them to pry apart the plates c cto eect an entrance. The position of the plates E shown is the one theyoccupy when the lever F is to the right. The two circuits are closedindependently of each other. When the lever is in its extreme leftposition, the two circuits are thrown together, the current entering atA+, thence to B through the circuit to B and to A It will be seen thatinasmuch as the circuitclosing plates or blades E are longer than theplates C C D D connection will be made between two pairs of plates whenthe lever is turned before it is broken at the other pair; hence nosparking can take place.

The mechanism for imparting a quick movement to the lever consists ofthe double S- shaped spring G. This is formed from a single piece ofspring metal folded over upon itself and secured in front of the face ofthe switch by screws g g, passing into the sides of the casing or box.Each side of the spring is bent in the form shown, which consists of twoparallel sides g g', standing diagonally across the face of the switch,and two other parallel sides g2 g2, standing at the opposite angleacross the face of the switch.

Upon the face of the lever F, I place two anti-friction rollers f2 f2,projecting at right angles therefrom and mountedupon studs. When thelever F is in either of its normal positions-that is, to the extremeright or left-these rollers are against one or the other pair of theparallel portions of the spring, and in the movement of the lever fromone eX- treme to the other the sides of the spring are forced towardeach other by the rollers; but as soon as they pass the turning-pointwhere IOO the parallel sides meet the spring in attempting to freeitself forces the lever quickly over,

l' thus making a sudden change of the circuits.

It should have been stated before that the studs carrying the rollersare fixed in metallic plate f3, forming a part of the lever F. It shouldalso have been stated that the disk of insulating material to which thelever and its connections are attached rotates in a circular hole sunkin the base of the switch.

Having now described my invention, I claim- 1. In an electricdouble-pole switch, four pairs of plates, each pair in electricalconnection with a binding-post and forming nearly a quadrant, springsfor forcing said plates together, in combination with twocircuit-closing plates mounted opposite each other upon a rotatabledisk, the said circuit-closing plates being located in a planecoincident with the contact-points between the pairs of quadrantplates,Substantially as described.

2. In an electrical double-pole switch, four pairs of plates, each pairin electrical connection with a binding-postand forming nearly aquadrant, springs for forcing said plates t0- gether, in combinationwith two circuit-closing plates mounted opposite each other upon arotatable disk,the said circuit-closing plates being located in a planecoincident with the contact-points between the pairs of quadrantplates,a lever connected with said disk, and a spring for imparting a quickmotion to the lever, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

' FRED Mk BENNETT.

Witnesses:

WVM. A. ROSENBAUM, THOMAS K. TRENCHARD.

